


Burmese Short-Tails

by Anonymous



Series: Prince Prongs [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe- Different House, Established Relationship, F/M, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Ravenclaw James Potter, Ravenclaw Lily Evans, Ravenclaw Severus Snape
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-16
Updated: 2017-01-16
Packaged: 2018-09-17 23:15:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9350522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: James learns something new and unexpected from Severus and Lily





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bun fun](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=bun+fun), [CyborgWrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CyborgWrites/gifts), [Princeloky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Princeloky/gifts).



Severus was huffing as he made his way up the slope. His legs were burning with the effort, his bag digging into his shoulders, the cool air was turning sharp when he breathed in. Why do they always chose the furthest parts of the ground to meet up? Why not the library or the terraces? To be fair, this was not usually a lot trouble but today involved too much walking than Severus was comfortable.

"Hi!" Lily called cheerily as soon Severus was close. She gestured at the pile of open books in front of her and continued, "We didn't get very far."

"Where were you anyway?" James asked yawning. He was draping somehow despite not having anything to drape on. Severus put him bag down and sat with a groan. 

"Slughorn-" 

"Did you get stuck in front of the knocker again?"

"What? Urgh no," Severus moaned. "That happened years ago, when are you going to stop milking it?"

"Yeah, James, the dragon's dry," Lily joined in. 

James scoffed. "You mean the cow's dry?"

"No, the dragon. I know what I said."

"You can't milk dragons, Lily."

Severus smiled slowly. "Wait, you don't know? You can milk Burmese Short-Tails."

"What? No, you can't. They're reptiles, Sev," James said like he was talking to a child. "They don't have _mammary glands._ What's there to milk?"

"Milk," Lily answered.

"Obviously," Severus added.

James made a face. "Drinkable?"

"If it wasn't, we'd have called it secretions, wouldn't we Sev?"

Severus scrunched up his face in revulsion. He said, "It's," he paused and exhaled, "an acquired taste."

James sat up quickly. "You've had it?" Lily nodded making a similar face. "And you didn't tell me?"

"You were doing... something somewhere else. Anyways, why would we tell you?"

"Maybe I want to know what it tastes like," James replied. "Maybe a dragon's _milk_ is something I want to experience."

"It was only a sip-" Severus told him consolingly.

"A tiny disgusting, viscous but refreshing sip," Lily added.

Severus nodded. "Oh yeah, exactly that. Felt like a good night's sleep."

"Exactly that," Lily echoed wagging her finger at him.

James was now glaring at them. "And you kept it hidden from me."

"James, it's not-" Severus said patting the boy's knee.

"I don't know what you're moaning about," Lily said. "It's just milk."

"You know what?" James began tearing a piece from his parchment and scribbling furiously on it. "I am going to buy myself Burmese Short-Tails' milk by the litre and enjoy it by myself." Lily and Severus shared a look. She snorted and he hid his face behind his hands. "You think this is funny? Fine, I'll share it but with Black instead."

Lily snorted again. "Good luck finding someone to kiss you."

"You can't get rid of the taste for ages," Severus told him. "We couldn't breathe in each other's direction the first hour."

James wadded up the paper and threw it down in frustration. "Then I'll just get a _sip,_ " he declared.

"Well you sure showed us," Lily replied. She ignored the indignant sounds James made and focused entirely on her Herbology notes.

James glowered at her. "A litre it is," he said writing without looking. Severus opened his bag and pulled out his Charms assignment just as James growled and then more paper was torn.

"The one time you do something interesting and I'm not there," James grumbled. 

Severus ignored him. Instead he read the question they were assigned repeatedly since he was sure he wasn't understanding all of it. Since starting Year Six, Charms has gotten more difficult and Severus went from doing very well to just managing. Only Lily was unfazed by this, always the lone hand raised in class and the first to turn in work. Severus could see her assignment drying next to her. He promised himself that he would first finish his own homework before going over hers to compare. First he broke down the question, then he spread open his notes and immersed himself in the work.

A thick finger began poking him. First Severus tried to ignore it because he was onto something and was scared of losing it. Halfway through writing down the idea, the number of fingers increased. Just as he was getting to the most critical part, James' annoying head forced itself between Severus' parchment and his face. Severus moved away quickly.

"James, what the hell? You know I don't use quick drying ink," Severus snapped. Luckily there was no smudging.

James pouted. "Lily won't tell me where you got the milk."

"The milk?" Severus sighed. "Don't you have work to do?"

"No, I'm finished."

Not believing him, Severus said, "Ok, you can write to Leeds- you know Atticus' apothecary?- and ask if they have any. If you hurry, your owl can get there before it closes."

"Thanks!" James rushed to his feet, he started and then he crouched down and gave Severus a big wet kiss before Severus could duck away. Then he ran towards the castle. Severus wiped his mouth and rearranged his work.

"Leeds?" Lily asked with a raised eyebrow. She was lying on the grass, biting her quill.

"First name that popped in my mind. Don't they tear up any stupid requests?" Severus shrugged. "Also there's no way Muffin would get there before 6 PM."

Lily snickered. "I can't believe he bought it."

"You know," Severus said, having found his line of thought again, "One day he's going to stop believing us."

Lily stared at the castle. "Not likely."

**Author's Note:**

> On their wedding night, Lily and Severus gave James a cat who looked exactly like Mcgonagall's animagus form and convinced him it was Mcgonagall who was tired of living as a Professor in Hogwarts.


End file.
